The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-02-24
CINCINNATI CONVENTION.
THE GREAT NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL
CONFERENCE BEGIN THEIR WORK.


Temporary Organization EfTected-Rev. DIR.
Lockwood Offers the Opening Prayer
Illinois Sends the Banner Delsgatlon-.
The States Not Represented.
CINCINNATI, Feb 22.-All morning the
National Industrial conference thronged the
hotels, held important committee meetings
and discussed the situation generally Many
Of them were new to the work. and their un.
familiarity with parliamentary affairs made
things move more slowly than might other
wise have been the case, but there was no real
difficulty on this account.
The time set for the convention wase "a
O'clock but at that time Music Hail. the place
of meeting, was entirely empty Shortly
doors of Music Hall were swung open and the
hundred or so WHO had collected before the
front Of the building were admitted Quite a
steady stream of humanity flowed into the
immense hall for some time and took places
by the various places, 1t was long after /
o'clock before they were called to order.
Many American flags ornamented and bright
ened the platform, and these gave a cheerful
appearance to the splendid hall.
The place allotted to Indiana and Illinois
was soon quite densely packed; Ohio and
Michigan were well represented Rev. Lock-
wood of this city, came early, went away
and returned about l, He sat for awhile on
the stage chatting with Secretary Jones, of
the local district Of the knights of Labor,
awaiting the time for Offering up the open
ing prayer. One of the chief attractions
were the lady delegates, who occupied CEN
tral positions in the hall. They were: Miss
Marion Todd, of the Knights of Labor, from
Battle Creek, Mich. Mrs. Emery Mrs. Sew
erance and Mrs Culbertson, also from Michi-
igan, and all three Greenbackers.
Mrs Bowen Of Elgin, ILL.,, and Mrs. Heath,
Of Chicago, visitors, also occupied seats on
the floor, but were not delegates. 1t soon be-
came evident that there were not thousands
coming to this convention, not even one
thousand. When the meeting was called to
order by Cen S. B. Heath, of Chicago, at
1:3O p. m, there were only about 300 persons
In the hail. Chairman Heath said that it was
not only proper, but customary, to open the
convention with prayer
A cry of 81 object" came from Illinois.
Mr.. Lockwood said: "Our Father and our
God, who art over all things for eyersmore
You are the God Of all nations, and will es-
tablish peace among all men. I'VE thank
Thee for the impulse Of American govern;
ment which leads to the seeking for purer
governrnent We pray that You viii direct
this meeting and cause their doings'to pros
per. We ask it in Jesus name Amen pi-Y
Chairman Heath appointed A. q Cosner,of
this city, sergeant farms, and H. G. PetSr-
son, alsoaof this city, assistant to, SecretaTy
s. L. Douglass, A. call of the states ,discov-
cred Connecticut, Florida, louisiana and
Minnesota not represented Illinois reported
sixty-fve delegates .ug4oD AL.I1aG
Richard F. Trevellick, of Michigan, lee
turer of the Knights of Labor, was noini-
mated by Chairman Heath for temporary
chairman, and was elected viva Yoce unani-
mously = . r..arnDaon
"Hurrah for old DickM cried somebody in
the back of the audience, and three loud
cheers made Music Hall resound. '
1t was then announced that Rev. Lockwood,
would deliver the Welcoming address.
At this writing there is little doubt but that
there will be split in the convention as soon
as the report Of the committee on platform is
received. All delegates from the country
and small towns, and many from the cities,
the Knights of Labor being included in the
latter, will oppose the George theory, while
its friends are numbered almost entirely from
the cities and from those who are not real es-
tate owners
This morning and last night the various
state delegations met to select representatives
on the various committees The matter of
land plank was discussed, and the states of
Ohio, Indiana, Arkansas, Texas, Michigan
and New York are known to have endorsed
the ideas expressed in the land plank of the
Knights Of Labor constitution, which pre-
vents the giving of lands to corporations or
the selling of it to foreign capitalists.
There is no doubt but that the address of
Henry George, last night, will prove bomb
of no small dimensions to the convention.
Its effect has been to stir up his admirers to
make them work harder to get his land plank
adopted by the convention, and on the other
hand, it has stimulated his opponents to op-
pose it all the more bitterly